An attack on Transportation Security Administration officers by a man wielding a machete is a reminder of the variety of threats the country faces every day, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson said.
Richard White, 62 and a former taxi driver, brought a machete and a can spray at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport March 20 and tried to pass through the TSA PreCheck gate.
He sprayed one officer in the face and confronted two others with the machete before being shot by police.
“Thankfully, our Transportation Security Officers were not severely injured and their actions appeared to have prevented the assailant from inflicting more harm,” Johnson said in a statement. He also thanked local police for their prompt and decisive response to the incident.
J. David Cox, the president of the American Federation of Government Employees, which represents TSA employees, said he was sickened by the mindlessness and ferocity displayed in the attack.
“[Transportation Security Officers] go to work every day to keep our nation safe from violent individuals who look to inflict harm on the flying public. All too often, TSOs become the targets of violence themselves, both verbal and physical,” Cox said.
Cox said TSA officers need greater law enforcement support at security checkpoints and other key locations in order to prevent this from happening again.
“We applaud the response of law enforcement officers who ended yesterday’s attack in New Orleans, but many other airports are not prepared to respond as quickly or as effectively,” Cox said. “Last night’s attack is a sad reminder of what more needs to be done to keep the flying public safe.”
